Apple’s AAPL, -1.71% keynote event on Tuesday debuted several new products including the iPhone 15, and the much-anticipated Apple Watch Series 9.
Prices for Apple’s refreshed new watch start at $399 — the same price as the previous watch models when they first debuted.
Among the new features in the Apple Watch Series 9 is a new S9 chip that could lead to speed and efficiency improvements and faster load times, the same 18-hour battery life, a new FineWoven fabric band, and up to 2000 nit brightness display, among many others.
During the event, Apple called its new S9 chip its “most powerful yet.”
The new Apple Watch Series 9 also features a brand new “double-tap” gesture, which allows people to answer calls and interact with their watch by tapping their index finger and thumb together when their non-watch hand is being previously occupied.
The new Apple Watch models are set to become available for pre-order immediately following the Sept. 12 launch event, and will be available for regular purchase on Friday Sept. 22.
Apple also released a second-generation version of its premium Apple Watch Ultra. The Ultra 2 has a bigger price tag starting at $799, and has features including 36 hours of battery life, an S9 SiP chip, and a 3000-nit brightness display.
The price tag for the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also the same as its predecessor when it first debuted. Some analysts expected Apple to raise the prices for the premium versions of its iPhone Pro models by $100 or $200.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the “most advanced Apple watch ever,” Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said.
The Apple Watch has become one of the company’s top-selling products, and a back-to-school essential for many students. Apple’s wearables and accessories, including the signature smartwatches, made up $8.28 billion of the company’s $81.8 billion total revenue for the company’s third quarter.
The Apple event began at 1 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday and is streaming on the company’s website and YouTube channel.
Shares of Apple Inc. moved 1.41% lower during Tuesday afternoon trading, and are up 36.01% in 2023 to date.
Read on: U.S. stocks trade down ahead of Apple event, with inflation data looming
This article was originally published by Marketwatch.com. Read the original article here.
